


of beer and men

by ingenuitiveHamilton



Category: Something Rotten! - Kirkpatrick/Kirkpatrick/O'Farrell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anger Outbursts, Light Angst, M/M, OC Male, drunken actions, frat boy AU, pressured to cheat, will is kind of a jerk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-26 15:33:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19008688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ingenuitiveHamilton/pseuds/ingenuitiveHamilton
Summary: “You have to promise you won’t be angry.”Nick sighed. “Why do you always start out with saying that—”“Promise.”Nick casted his gaze towards Will, the rising panic seeming to visibly make its way through Will’s body. He was tense, more so than he should be despite being drunk, and far more so than he would be if he were sober. Nick grabbed Will’s hand and tried not to grimace at the claminess.“Will, whatever it is, just tell me already—”“I bet you.”





	of beer and men

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the Frat Boy AU conceived by wegotbanished and i-am-the-wallflower on Tumblr.  
> Plot inspired by the musical Honeymoon in Vegas.

_Ping._

Nick attempted to ignore his phone notification, though he fought the urge to glance over and see who it was. _No_. He had to get this paper done. There was two more pages left to go, and if he could just bust them out then—

_Ping._

Nick’s typing faltered. _No no no no._ He had to _focus_. A page and a half, and then it was home free ho—

_Ping._

_Ping._

Nick slammed his hand on the keyboard, wincing after the fact and hoping that he didn’t wake a sleeping Nigel in the adjacent bedroom. Who could be texting him this often, this late at night to begin with? Frustration slowly seeping in, Nick grabbed his phone to see who had messaged him.

Will.

On second thought, he should be considerably less surprised.

 **Will [1:46am]:** _het r y up?_

 **Will [1:47am]:** _im outaide ur apart ent_

 **Will [1:48am]:** _we nefe to tajk_

 **Will [1:48am]:** _also im sirt of drunk_

Nick sighed and put his phone back on his desk. Nick desperately loved Will, don’t get him wrong, but the drunken escapades that appeared to be occurring more and more frequently started to irritate him. At least three nights a week, Will showed up at the Bottom brothers’ apartment at an ungodly hour in the morning, drunk out of his mind and oftentimes emotionally unstable. Or horny. The only upside to the increased frequency of these visits was that Will seemed to finally understand that he needed to be quiet when entering the apartment so late at night, as not to wake Nigel. The last thing Nick wanted was for—

_Ping._

_Goddammit_ , Nick internally cursed, reaching back down to grab his phone and check what else Will had to say.

 **Will [1:51am]:** _u inow u jabe ur read recepits on right_

Nick rolled his eyes but stood up to walk to the front door. Again, he loved Will, but sometimes the latter could be a real pain in the ass.

He typed out a quick “ _I’m coming_ ” and sent it, solely so Will wouldn’t have to send him another message. He walked to the front door, carefully making sure he didn’t wake up Nigel, and braced himself for the inevitable mess that Will would be.

After undoing the chain on the door, Nick slowly opened it to reveal his boyfriend unsteadily leaning against the opposite wall. His eyes were black-lined and closed, and his attire left little to the imagination. There was no doubt he had previously been at one of the frat parties.

At the sound of the door opening, Will’s eyes opened and he offered a lazy smile in Nick’s direction.

The latter would refuse all accusations that the gesture made his heart skip a beat.

His heart beating a little bit faster despite the circumstances, Nick stepped up to Will and supported his weight so he could stand straight. He made sure they both were steady on their feet, then led them back into his apartment.

“All right, let’s get you on in here, buddy,” Nick mumbled mostly to himself, the struggle of supporting the majority of Will’s weight causing his breath to come out short.

“Nick. Always here to save the day,” Will slurred in response. His inebriation caused his accent to be more pronounced in spite of his few years living in the States.

Nick grunted in response and sat Will on the couch in the living room.

“Listen, Will,” Nick began, his customary lecture almost second nature at this point, “you really are going to have to stop doing this, especially with Nigel and—”

Will grabbed Nick’s arm, causing Nick to pause in what he was about to say. It was just about to get good, too.

“Nicky, I gotta tell you something,” Will said, his voice suddenly somber and barely above a whisper. Nick refrained from rolling his eyes. He was used to Will’s drunken love declarations, and as much as he appreciated them while his boyfriend was sober, the stench of alcohol that came with every spoken word was enough for Nick to beg Will to shut up.

“Yes, I know, I know. I love you, too. Now back to what I was saying—”

“No, no, no. Nick, this is important. I have to tell you _now_.”

Nick looked down at the urgency suddenly present in Will’s voice and the alertness in his eyes. It was then that he remembered the “ _we nefe to tajk_ ” message that was sent earlier and sat down next to Will.

“Is everything okay?” Nick asked. He attempted to resist letting worry slip into his voice. No need to waste energy on something that might not even require it. Will, however, scratched at the scruff on his face and his eyes darted to everything in the room that wasn’t Nick.

“You have to promise you won’t be angry.”

Nick sighed. “Why do you always start out with saying that—”

“ _Promise_.”

Nick casted his gaze towards Will, the rising panic seeming to visibly make its way through Will’s body. He was tense, more so than he should be despite being drunk, and far more so than he would be if he were sober. Nick grabbed Will’s hand and tried not to grimace at the claminess.

“Will, whatever it is, just tell me already—”

“I bet you.”

Nick felt the grip on his hand tighten, but he hadn’t even yet comprehended what the hell it was that Will even _meant_.

“You… bet me? What—what does that even mean?”

Will took a deep breath, and Nick assumed that he thought he wouldn’t have to explain himself.

“In a game of beer pong. I bet you.”

Nick snatched his hand away from Will’s and swiftly stood, his chest burning with building up anger. There was no way in _hell_ that Will was implying what Nick thought he was.

“I’m sorry,” Nick started, his voice a faux calm in an attempt not to wake up Nigel, “maybe I’m hearing things, but it sounded like you said that you bet me in a game of _fucking beer pong_.”

Will momentarily looked unfazed. “Well, when you say it like that…”

“Goddammit, Will!” Nick bit his fist to stop himself from screaming. He was already teetering on the edge of completely blowing up, but Nigel had school in the morning, and Nick himself had a paper to finish, and he was just _fucking placed as a bet_.

“Babe—” Will joined Nick in standing and quickly grabbed the armrest of the couch when he started to sway.

“Don’t you dare _babe_ me! God, what—what do I even have to _do_? What did you say I would do?” Nick thought for a second that he might be acting irrationally as he began pacing back and forth, but then he remembered that Will rarely did anything without intention and meaning behind it. This wasn’t an accidental sort of bet, if those even existed. This was intentionally placed, and Nick had to force himself to unclench his fists.

“Can you—can you stop walking like that? It’s making me sick.”

Nick stopped his pacing, and not because Will asked him to, goddammit. Looking Will in the eyes—well, as much as he could considering Will wouldn’t meet his—Nick asked, “What did you say I would do?”

“I said that—” Will paused as he took in a deep breath “—I just said that you would go on a date with him.”

“You what?”

“But no sex afterward! That’s reserved for me.”

Nick stared at Will, trying to take in any indication that the other man was lying. This had to be a joke, some sort of cruel joke that he wanted to play just to get a rise out of Nick. He’s done that before, what was stopping him from doing it again? Right?

Nick found no sign that he was lying.

Turning his back to Will and continuing his nervous pacing, Nick asked, “What made you think it was okay to say some _absolute shit_ like that?”

Will, starting to look physically sick, either from the situation at hand or the lingering alcohol, sat back down. “It was _beer pong_. That shit is as easy as they come! I always bet something fucking ridiculous, just to get a rise out of them, you know?” No, Nick didn’t know. Will rarely discussed what happened at these parties, and he wondered if maybe that was for the better. “And I always win. Always. But tonight… God, I fucked up the moment I drank a sixth beer.”

At this statement, Nick reeled on him and pointed an accusatory finger. “No. No, no. The moment you saw me as a bet was the moment you fucked up!” He was breathing heavy and hard. The last time he felt this _angry_ towards Will was… well, he couldn’t actually remember when. The extent of his anger made him ponder on the fact if he was so angry at this one instance in particular, or simply the piling up of these instances that were starting to become normal.

“God, why do you keep doing this to yourself?”

He meant to say it under his breath, and if he were being completely frank, he hadn’t meant to say it at all. But at this statement, Will sat up a little straighter; his eyes opened up a little wider; his mind perhaps a little more sober.

“I meant the whole thing as a joke, Nick. You were never supposed to have to actually do anything.” Nick watched as Will absent-mindedly fiddled with the zipper on his jacket. It looked as if he were forcing himself not to cry out of frustration and focusing on the zipper was the only thing from keeping the waterworks sealed shut.

Up down up down up down up—

“Then tell them I’m not.”

“What?”

“Tell them I’m not going on a date, having sex with anyone, or anything. Nothing.”

“That’s… that’s not how this works.”

“Goddammit, then how _does_ it work?”

In the pause between Nick’s outburst and his taking in of another breath, he heard the slightest sound of a door creaking.

Fuck.

“Nigel, I know you’re there.”

Another louder, longer creak revealed Nigel standing in the doorway of his bedroom, his eyebrows creased inward and his teeth gnawing on his bottom lip.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been listening.”

Nick shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. A migraine was on its way, he knew it.

“No, Nige. We’re sorry. We were being loud and woke you up.”

Nick raised his head to see Nigel fidgeting slightly as if he wanted to say more. Will remained in his same position, his head aimed away from Nigel. Maybe to hide the fact that he was still drunk. It was an ego thing, even if Nigel knew that Will drank regularly.

“Is everything okay?” Nigel asked, the hesitation in his voice evident. Immediately, Nick felt guilty for even remotely allowing Nigel to witness his and Will’s fight. Even if he only heard it. No kid should have to know about his older brother and boyfriend’s fights. Especially if said older brother was technically the kid’s guardian.

“Everything’s okay. We’re just…”

“Having a short row,” Will piped up and turned his attention to Nigel, smiling slightly. “Don’t worry, young Bottom. Everything’s all right. Head back to bed.”

Nigel nodded and retreated back into his room, softly closing the door behind him. Nick turned to Will.

“Why did you tell him we were fighting?”

“Because there was no use lying about it. The kid obviously was stood there for a decent amount of it.”

Nick nodded, the fumes from a few moments ago slowly dying down. The situation made him angry—no, furious—but, maybe, yelling about it wouldn’t fix anything. He sat back down next to Will but kept his distance. There was no way he would allow his boyfriend to attempt to make him “feel better.”

“Why can’t you tell them I’m not going to do shit for them?” Nick asked, looking straight ahead. He knew he had to keep up the angry pretenses or Will would think his guard was down.

“Because they take their bets very seriously. It’s like—it’s like signing a waiver without actually...signing a waiver.” Will started to fidget again, and Nick could tell that the situation was sobering him up faster than time could ever allow.

“And what happens if I don’t do it?”

Will rubbed his cheek, as if tending to a slap in the face that never landed. “I really wouldn’t want to think about that.”

Nick nodded, his fist clenching and unclenching in his lap. Seeing that the time was nearing three in the morning, Nick stood and decided that his unfinished paper and this unfinished conversation could wait until the morning. Well, later in the morning.

Will quickly followed in standing, the slight color that regained in his face fading. “I’m not asking you to choose between yourself and me.”

Nick faced Will and met his eyes for what was maybe the first time that night. “But at least I have the decency to even consider your wellbeing.” With that Nick strode to his bedroom.

His door was on the handle when he heard Will tentatively ask, “Can I stay the night?”

Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

“On the couch.”

* * *

 “So, uh… do you read?”

Nick fiddled with the napkin in his lap, his eyes wandering around the restaurant. The guy—Thomas—had made reservations at a fairly nice place, but Nick craved the take-out food that he and Will typically opted for, both for financial and convenient reasons.

“Yes, actually. I recently finished Tolstoy’s _War and Peace_. Quite lengthy, if you ask me.” Thomas gave a light chuckle as he took a bite of his chicken-something. Nick warily took a glance at his own meal, not exactly remembering what it was given the fact that he had let Thomas order for him. “Have you read it?”

Nick shook his head, not exactly wanting to continue this particular conversation, despite the fact he started it. He silently hoped Thomas would take the hint, and they could both eat in relative silence.

“So,” Thomas started, and Nick knew his prayers were futile to begin with, “I never thought someone as flamboyant as Will would have gotten with someone as...reserved and quiet as yourself.”

As Nick opened his mouth to retort that _no_ he was _not quiet, just trying to make this night go along with as little conversation as possible_ , he felt Thomas’s foot start to gently caress his ankle.

“I thought maybe after this we could find out how loud you can actually get.” Thomas’s foot slowly started to rise on Nick’s leg. Heart nearly stopping, Nick kicked Thomas’s foot away from him. His hand gripped the edge of his chair, and he wondered how this man could have the audacity to so blatantly flirt with him after _just_ mentioning his boyfriend.

“You— you _know_ I have a boyfriend. I— you _just_ mentioned him!”

Apparently unfazed by Nick’s sudden outburst, Thomas leaned forward and put on what Nick figured must be his most seductive face. “But, baby, he doesn’t have to know. He put you in this situation, didn’t he?”

Nick knew his face must look disgusted, and with right reason. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to _cheat_ on him.”

Nick threw his napkin on the table and stood, going with his better judgement not to pour his water over Thomas’s head as well.

“Where are you going?”

Nick shrugged on his jacket and responded, “I’m leaving.”

“You can’t leave. Will bet a date with you, and—”

Nick dug out his wallet and placed a twenty on the table. He meant it as a tip for the waiter, but honestly, Thomas could do with it as he pleased if it meant he could _get out of there now_. “Yes, he did, but it was never specified for how long. I’m leaving.”

And with that, Nick strode out of the restaurant with a fuming Thomas in his wake.

* * *

 It was eight o’clock when Nick reached the apartment, and the thought of having to answer all of Bea’s questions about how the date went caused a premature headache. He knew Nigel could take care of himself when home alone, but Nick thought his younger brother might enjoy Bea’s company for the night. He hoped she would see his fatigue and leave the questions for another day.

Sticking the keys in the door and unlocking it, Nick expected to see maybe Bea and Nigel watching a movie. What he didn’t expect to see was Bea and Nigel along with Will and Portia sitting around the dining table playing Clue.

At the sound of Nick’s entrance, all eyes were on him, and Nick instinctively shied away from their stares. The air in the room noticeably filled with tension with his arrival, and he didn’t miss the subtle way Bea and Will glanced at each other.

He knew the questions were coming, he _knew_ it, and—

“Hi, Nick!” Nick jerked at the sound of his name, but immediately recognized who voiced it. Portia. “It’s okay that I’m here, right? My dad’s away for business again, and Nigel and Bea came and got me!”

“I—yeah. Yeah, Portia, of course it’s all right that you’re here.” Despite his faux cheerful tone, his mouth turned downwards at the corner at the thought of Portia wondering if she was wanted. “How are you? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

Nick kicked off his shoes and hung his jacket, making his way to the table. Bea gave him a small smile, but Will refused to make eye contact.

“I’m good! Bea said that you were meeting with a friend. How did it go?”

Nick internally cursed, but tried his best not to make any outward indications that he hated her question. There was no need to make Portia feel as if she couldn’t speak her mind in the Bottom household. Especially given the fact that she couldn’t do so in her own.

“It… it was fine.” No need to elaborate. “I’m feeling kind of tired, though, so I think I’m just gonna—”

“There’s some food in the fridge if you’re hungry, Nick,” Bea chimed in, her motherly instincts showing. “We made mac n’ cheese and chicken nuggets. Quite a delectable meal.”

Though his stomach almost screamed in protest, Nick shook his head and offered Bea a convincing smile. The thought of having to continue socializing, even if it was with his makeshift family, made his head spin. “Maybe later, Bea. Thanks, though.”

Nick noticed the slight worry in Bea’s eyes, but she smiled regardless and suggested they continue their game. Nick, thankful for the lack of protests, walked to his bedroom, but not before affectionately ruffling his brother’s hair as a form of hello and softly laughing at his complaints.

He also tried not to notice how Will still hadn’t said a word.

Nick flopped on his bed as soon as his bedroom door closed behind him and began a process of taking deep breaths. Though the night was over with, Nick’s chest still felt tight and his held still swam with memories of the dinner. In the middle of replaying the scene where Thomas asked Nick to have sex with him, Nick heard his bedroom door creak open and quietly close a moment later. He felt his bed dip at the far corner, and the unmistakable smell of Will’s cologne informed Nick of who had entered.

_Maybe if I keep my eyes closed he’ll think I’m asleep and—_

“Nick, I know you’re not asleep.”

_Goddammit. Maybe a little longer—_

“Nick.”

“Will you be quiet? I’m sleeping.”

Nick felt the bed shake slightly as Will laughed then said, “Well, can you not be sleeping? I’d like to talk with you.”

At this, Nick opened his eyes and turned over onto his back. Will was sitting at the edge of the bed with his eyes trained on the door, but at Nick’s movement, the focus was directed towards him. Annoyed, Nick said, “Oh, so now you want to talk to me? How about the ten minutes when I stood out there and you didn’t even say a word?”

Will rolled his eyes and replied, “I wasn’t going to bring it up in front of the kids. Would you have wanted that?”

Nick huffed and crossed his arms, hating the fact that Will had a point. “You still could’ve said hello. You acted like I wasn’t even there.”

It was Will’s turn to look defeated, an action Nick knew he didn’t like to display that often. “I—yeah, all right. I don’t even have an explanation for that.” Though he didn’t outright apologize, Nick figured it was implied. “Just—how did it go? The date?”

Nick laughed harshly, the frustration finally coming to. “You mean besides the fact that he wanted me to fuck him? Pretty well, I’d say.”

“Well that’s—wait, what?” Will stood, as if he were readying himself to fight a Thomas that wasn’t there. “He said that to you?”

Nick nodded and continued, “I kicked him and left. That’s why I’m back so early.”

“I fucking _told_ him not to—not to _proposition_ you or anything, and what does he go and do?” Nick could tell Will was angry now, and he had to refrain himself from shouting that this was all Will’s fault to begin with.

Unable to bear it any longer, Nick stood and leveled with Will, despite the fact that the latter was a few inches taller.

“You don’t have the _right_ to be angry about this, considering the fact that I’m the one who had to deal with it. So sit down and get over it, okay?” Nick said, his tone unwavering even though he felt shakiness everywhere else. Will held his gaze for a few moments longer then broke it, sitting back on the edge of the bed.

He sighed, “I just feel like this is all my fault.”

Nick joined him in sitting and sighed as well. He hated, absolutely hated, getting angry with Will, but it sometimes seemed to be the only way he could get his points across. “It kind of is.”

Will had no response, and Nick silently triumphed at being in the right. Though this _was_ all Will’s fault, Nick couldn’t help but think that this could be the turning point for them; the moment where things could change.

“Maybe this can be the part where things start to get...better,” Nick said and placed his hand on top of Will’s.

Will looked at their overlapped hands, his eyebrows knit together. “How do you mean?”

“With you and me.” At Will’s continued confused expression, Nick elaborated, “Maybe you’ll drink less. Maybe we’ll have less arguments. You know, the works.”

Will nodded his agreement and flipped his hand over so their fingers laced together. “Maybe.”

Figuring that would be as best as he would get out of Will on the matter, Nick stood and made his way to the door. “Let’s go join the rest of them.”

Will stood as well, but grabbed Nick’s arm before the latter could open the door.

“I wanted you to know that… I’m sorry. For all of this.”

Will’s eyes were casted downwards, an obvious look of guilt and regret painted across his face. Nick hooked a finger under Will’s chin and forced their eyes to meet as he smiled and said, “I know.”

Will smiled back, if only slightly, and Nick would acknowledge all accusations that the gesture made his heart skip a beat.

And maybe things would start to get better, Nick thought, as they joined Bea, Nigel, and Portia in the living room, their hands still tangled together.

But, really, only time would tell.

 

**Author's Note:**

> wow i posted some new content??? for a different fandom??? this is honestly a surprise.  
> anyway, go check out both wegotbanished and i-am-the-wallflower on Tumblr, who both graciously allowed me to write for their modern day frat boy au :)
> 
> and until next time  
> ~gabrielle


End file.
